Dr Matthew Ryan

Matthew Ryan lectures in comparative literature and cultural studies and is employed on two of the Centre’s major research projects: on Australian intellectual radicalism; and on utopia, dystopia and science fiction. His own research interests include: Irish culture and writing, the nation, globalisation, culture and ideology. He is a member of the editorial board of Arena Magazine.

Selected Publications

Edited Books

• Andrew Milner, Matthew Ryan and Robert Savage (eds) Imagining the Future: Utopia and Dystopia, Arena Publications, Melbourne, 385 pp., 2006.

Refereed Articles

• ‘Abstract Homes: Deterritorialisation and Reterritorialisation in the work of Colm Tóibín’ Irish Studies Review, no.16, vol.1, 2008.
• ‘Solipsism as Cultural Condition: Some recent Irish Examples’ Arena Journal, no.27, 2006, pp.159-191.
• ‘Vanguards and Avant-gardes: The Reason in Revolt Online Project on Political and Cultural Radicalism’, Simon Booth, Verity Burgmann, Stuart Macintyre, Andrew Milner and Matthew Ryan, The Past is before Us: Proceedings of the 9th Annual Labour History Conference, University of Sydney, 2005, pp.29-37.
• 'Ourselves Alone: Solipsism in Neil Jordan's Novels and Films'Barcelona English Language and Literature Studies, no.11, 2000, pp.187-98.
• 'A Postmodern Ireland?' Arena Journal, no.11, 1998, pp.33-43.

Conference Papers

• ‘The Dystopian Rendering of Ideology and Utopia in Cormac McCarthy’s The Road’. Delivered at Demanding the Impossible: Utopia, Dystopia and Science Fiction, 2007, Monash University.
• ‘Writing Place and Self in Glenn Patterson’s Burning Your Own and Seamus Deane’s Reading in the Dark’. Delivered at the 15th Irish-Australian Studies Conference, 2007, La Trobe University.
• ‘The Influence of the World: John Banville’s Material Epiphanies’. Delivered at the conference of the International Association for the Study of Irish Literatures, 2006, University of New South Wales.
• 'Ourselves Alone: Solipsism in the Films and Writing of Neil Jordan'. Delivered at IASIL '99 Irish Literatures at Century's End, 26 - 9 July 1999, University of Barcelona.
• 'What Rough Beast On a Postnational Future for Irish Culture and Identity'. Delivered at Bordering Europe, 20 - 24 September 1999, University of Kent at Canterbury.

Articles and Reviews

• 'Return of the Repressed'. Editorial, Arena Magazine, no. 53, 2001, pp. 2-3.
• 'After Consumerism'. Editorial, Arena Magazine, no. 52, 2001, p. 3.
• 'Race, sex and power'. A review of Mark Kurlansky's The White Man in the Tree. The Age , Saturday Extra, (26 May2001) p.9.
• 'Emerald Germs'. A review of Patrick McCabe's The Emerald Germs of Ireland. The Age, Saturday Extra, (24 February 2001) p.10.
• 'A Writer of Absence'. A review of John Banville's Eclipse .The Age, Saturday Extra, (7 October 2000) p.9.
• 'Ground Control', Arena Magazine, no. 48, 2000, pp.6-8.
• 'George W. Bush: Linking God, Death and Votes', Arena Magazine, no. 46, 2000, pp.11-12.
• 'Three Geeks, Three Films: Existenz, Being John Malkovich , Fight Club', Arena Magazine , no. 45, 2000, pp.53-5.
• 'Gentrification and the New Poor'. Editorial, Arena Magazine, no. 38, 1999, pp.2-3.
• 'The Northern Ireland Peace Accord', Arena Magazine, no.35, 1998, pp.43-6.
• 'TAC Tactics, Election Ads', Arena Magazine, no 37, 1998, pp.14-5.
• 'In the Image of a Spy'. A review of John Banville's The Untouchable. Meanjin, vol. 56, no.2, 1997, pp. 411-6.
• 'My Celtic Tattoo or How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Love My Postmodern Selves'. A short fiction, Arena Magazine, no.28, 1997.
• 'Michael Collins - Hollywood Hero'. A review of Neil Jordan's film Michael Collins. Arena Magazine, no. 27, 1997, pp. 44-6.
• 'Lack of the Irish'. A review of Terry Eagleton's Heathcliff and the Great Hunger. Arena Magazine, no. 21, 1996, pp. 51-2.